Careers
At the beginning of the year, chances are that you are thinking about exploring your career and pathway options. It’s never too early to start thinking about career ideas, researching your options, developing a career action plan, or simply having a discussion with your Careers Coordinator.
If you are in Year 12, it is essential that you discuss your options with the key people in your life as soon as possible. Have no idea what you would like to do when you leave school? No stress! Don’t delay seeing your Careers Coordinator - now is the perfect time. Not sure what to say? Don’t worry- it’s their job to guide you and open up possibilities you may not have considered before.
As a starting point, if you are interested in studying at university or TAFE in the future, please find the links on this page, pointing you to the accounts of several Victorian institutions.
It is important to know that Swinburne University, RMIT, Victoria University, and Federation University have both university and TAFE divisions and that many TAFE institutes offer university degrees. If you are interested in pursuing a traineeship or apprenticeship pathway, it is important that you gain as much industry experience as possible. You can undertake work experience once you turn 15 years old.
Seeing your Careers Coordinator early in the year is important to ensure you can get organised early and to be able to start making links with local employers. It is important to read the Career News in the fortnightly issue of the Kilbreda Newsletter to ensure that you keep up to date with upcoming career events. Happy reading!
Film Competition
Calling all High School film makers! As part of their annual Martini Film Festival and Awards, JMC Academy hosts the High School Mocktail Film Awards. To enter, you will need to submit a short film (e.g., film, documentary, animation, television commercial, film clip) by Sunday 3 March. To find out more and to submit your film, see HERE.
Vocational and University News
Higher Education - Industry Links
The University of Melbourne
Monash University
Deakin University
La Trobe University
Victoria University
Charles Sturt University
RMIT University
Federation University
Box Hill Institute
Swinburne University
Australia Catholic University
University Newsletters for Secondary Students can stay up-to-date with future student news by subscribing to newsletters or bookmarking pages to browse future student information at:
University of Wollongong
Victoria University
La Trobe University
Australia National University (ANU)
Tuckwell Scholarship
If you are considering studying at ANU in the future, you should consider applying for the prestigious Tuckwell Scholarship. During February and March the University will run online information sessions about the Scholarship and potentially a roadshow, see HERE.
Learn about careers through Virtual Reality (VR)
Learn about careers in hospitality, manufacturing, construction, and creative industries through viewing 360° VR workplaces developed by SkillsRoad. You will able to jump inside the world of work and experience a day in the life of workers within the above industries, see HERE.
Apprenticeship and Trainee News
Planning on securing an apprenticeship or traineeship at the end of the year? Even though you have just started the schooling year, your planning should start now. Australian Apprenticeship Pathways have developed an excellent four-step guide to assist you to start planning. SeeHERE
Read through Step One and take the work type explorer quiz, download the AusAppPathways app to your phone, and complete practice aptitude quizzes to ascertain the level of literacy and numeracy skills you will need for different occupations. You can also do the following during the year to prepare for an apprenticeship:
- Meet with your Careers Coordinator to start planning your professional trade career
- Undertake work experience in several fields or with several employers in the same field. See your Careers Coordinator for information on how to organise work experience.
- Contact industry leaders and associations in your fields of interest to ask questions.
- Contact local apprenticeship centres and/or group training organisations to ask their advice on what makes a competitive apprenticeship applicant. Use the following website to locate organisations in your local area. See HERE
- Work hard in your English and Mathematics classes and VET/technology/science subjects if relevant. With advances in technology occurring across all apprenticeship fields, it will be crucial that you can read and interpret complex information and instructions, and adapt to changes in technology during your apprenticeship and once qualified.
- Sign up to social media pages for industries you are interested in to keep up to date with changes to industry technology, skills shortages, and events. For example:
- Bricklaying, http://bit.ly/2DYCwbA
- Plumbing, http://bit.ly/2FK6wnP
- Construction, http://bit.ly/2fMwyLl
- Agriculture, www.ruralcareers.net.au/
- Defence Force, http://bit.ly/2DhkxMm
Careers News
Work Experience at the Australian Defence Force
The Defence Force provides work experience opportunities across Australia. To search for upcoming work experience placements and to bookmark the page, see HERE.
You can learn about jobs in the Army, Navy and Air Force via the Defence Jobs YouTube Channel HERE.
Gap Year in the Army, Navy and Air Force
The Australian Defence Force Gap Year program provides an opportunity for young Australians who have finished Year 12 to experience military training and lifestyle whilst gaining new skills and pay over their Gap Year in the Army, Navy or Air Force. You will earn more than $45,000, have subsidised accommodation and full medical and dental coverage. Applications will open in March. For information and to register to receive updates on the program via email, see HERE.
Victoria Police Force
Victoria Police provides policing services to the state’s community 24 hours a day, seven days a week, working to keep over six million people safe. They are currently in the midst of their biggest recruitment drive ever, looking to recruit over 3,000 new Police Officers, as well as additional Protective Services Officers and Police Custody Officers by 2021.
In addition to policing roles, Victorian Public Servants work across more than 500 locations in Victoria, playing supporting roles in specialist professions such as IT, law, communications, recruitment, forensic science and many more.
Year 12 students may be interested in starting their application at the end of the year. As a Victoria Police Officer, employees will have access to great benefits, including generous leave entitlements and ongoing training throughout their career.
- Victoria Police Careers: https://bit.ly/1LfnfeQ
- Recruits TV Series: http://bit.ly/2EdpKpF
The following weblink provides information on:
- Experience and attributes recruitment are looking for in applicants (e.g., part time employment, global travel, volunteering, participating in sport)
- Entrance exam preparation materials
- Information on the benefits of a career in policing
- Link to the Police fitness app
Go to https://bit.ly/2Gm3aLl
A Police Careers Information Session will be run at Clayton on Wednesday 20 February, 6.00pm – 8.00pm and Melbourne on Thursday 21 February, 5.30pm – 7.30pm. For information and to register your place, see HERE.
Casual Employment
You can sign up for employment at the following websites:
- Coles - www.colescareers.com.au/
- KFC - http://bit.ly/1kOrqrJ
- Hungry Jacks - www.hungryjacks.com.au/
- Sportsgirl - www.sportsgirl.com.au/get-a-job
- Woolworths - www.wowcareers.com.au/
- Muffin Break - http://bit.ly/1Q63Sq7
- Kmart - www.kmart.com.au/jobs
- Target - www.target.com.au/company/careers
- Myer - www.myer.com.au/careers/
- Red Rooster - www.redrooster.com.au/careers
- Sussan - www.sussan.com.au/
- McDonald’s - http://bit.ly/1Bmfpeo
- Bunnings - www.bunnings.com.au/join-our-team
- Donut King - http://www.donutking.com.au/
- Boost - www.boostjuice.com.au/boost-jobs
About 80% of all job vacancies aren’t advertised, so it is crucial that you market yourself to businesses with an excellent resume and cover letter. Make sure you tell as many people as possible that you are looking for work as often employers rely on ‘word of mouth’ to recruit for their positions.
For excellent job seeking tips, check out the resources at Youth Central HERE and SkillsRoad HERE. Also, check out job options at ‘Explore Careers’ website HERE.
Volunteering
Lattitude Global Volunteering is a company that provides overseas placements for Year 12 graduates during their gap year. You can volunteer in countries such as Argentina, Poland, Spain, China, Vietnam, Canada, Japan, UK, Fiji, Ghana, New Zealand etc., in positions such as teacher’s assistant, sports coach, outdoor activities instructor, medical assistant, teacher, or community worker. Applications for priority positions close 8th of March to start in 2020. For information and to apply, see HERE.
Laura Lunardi
Careers Coordinator